Crystal Ball
by writer writing
Summary: Lois sees a glimpse into the future that leads her to believe she's an adulteress. She tries to change the future, putting everything into jeopardy.
1. Chapter 1

Lois tore off a piece of the pink, cottony fluff and offered it to Clark.

"No, thank you," he said. "I don't like cotton candy."

"Are you insane?" she asked. "How can you not like cotton candy?"

"I just don't like the texture. It's weird. It tastes like…"

"Cotton?" she filled in.

"Exactly."

"But then it crystallizes into sugary goodness."

"You're right. It's pure sugar that will rot out your teeth."

"I've never had a cavity."

"Congratulations. Why don't you keep it that way?"

"Smallville, I—oh, look!"

Clark's eyes searched the tiny carnival, trying to find the object of Lois' enthusiasm.

"A fortune teller," she said, pointing to a tent.

"I never had you down as someone who believed in fortune tellers."

"I don't. It's just harmless fun. I know how to relax and enjoy myself every now and then. Something you still need to learn."

"I just don't relish the idea of going to a carnival. I haven't been to one since I was 13."

"Which is exactly why your mom insisted you go. You're a stick in the mud."

"I bet you weren't even going to go to this thing if my mom hadn't suggested it."

"Babysitting the senator's son is part of my job description."

"Funny. See this is me laughing ha ha. So are you going to see the fortune teller or not?"

"You're not coming?"

"I'll wait for you out here. Besides, I think it's a rule that you can only tell one fortune at a time."

"Suit yourself. Just don't talk to strangers or go wild while I'm gone."

"I'll try to restrain myself."

Lois smiled and ducked through the tent flap. It was very dark inside. There was only one candle that was lit and the tent smelled strongly of incense. The fortune teller was in the traditional, glittery costume complete wit a crystal ball in front of her. The woman crooned out in a mysterious voice, "Sit, Lois Lane." Lois felt a little spooked that she knew her name and thought about leaving but there had to have been a logical explanation and what would Clark say if she came back out so soon? She took a seat in the chair.

"What do you wish to know past, present, or future?"

"Future, please."

"Ah, yes. Many choose the future but perhaps it is not the wisest choice. Many do not like what they see."

"Don't you mean what you see and I'll take my chances."

"Let me explain something to you. I once was an ordinary fortune teller but no more because now this is an extraordinary crystal ball. I found a rock with such energy that I decided to put it inside my ball. Neither I nor the ball had any powers but the ball was greatly changed. People blank out and when they return they say it's as if their very soul went there but you as you exist now will not really be there, just a mere observer. If you choose past or present, it will take you to what you wish to see. If you choose the future, it is unpredictable. It may take you to tomorrow or 50 years from now. It may take you to your death or to your marriage. Do you still wish to see?"

"Yes," Lois said in an exasperated voice. She clearly thought this was all a show.

"Are you sure you—"

"Yes, I want to see the future. Listen, Madame Fortune Teller, my friend is out there waiting on me. If you don't want to lose a paying customer, I'd appreciate getting this over with."

"As you wish," she began to rub the crystal ball and clouds began to swirl. Lois was mesmerized. It was a good special effect. Suddenly she fell forward as if her soul had been yanked from her body, not a pleasant feeling.

She landed in a bedroom. She recognized the skyline outside. It was Metropolis. She was in her future apartment she realized, as she saw her older self laying in bed and reading a novel. War and Peace it looked like. She was a good 10 years older and had acquired reading glasses. So the fortune teller hadn't been lying. The information was interesting but not very important.

She heard someone come into the apartment. Her older self heard it too because she laid the book down on the nightstand and set her reading glasses on top. She stood up in a flowy nightgown. She always thought she was more of a pajama girl herself. Older Lois didn't appear alarmed, so it wasn't an intruder. She obviously was expecting the person and it had to be someone she was living with because they hadn't knocked. Maybe she was still living with Chloe. The bedroom door opened and a man in glasses and a suit and tie came in. It took her a moment to recognize him but it looked like Clark. Future Lois went over and slipped her arms around his waist and he put his arms around her waist. They were embracing she realized in shock.

"I was wondering when you were going to wrap up that story, Smallville. I wrapped up mine hours ago."

"Rub it in," he laughed.

"Don't worry. We'll be working together tomorrow, so we'll leave the office at the same time."

They kissed, not just a friendly peck on the check either. Young Lois felt like she was going to be sick. Maybe they were just extra good buddies in the future. She looked at their left hands. They were married buddies. 'Calm down, Lane. There's a good explanation for this. Maybe they're just having an affair, even that wouldn't be as bad as being eternally tied to Clark Kent.' The picture on the wall proved otherwise. She, Lois Lane, had married Clark Kent. Older Lois had slipped off Clark's jacket and was working on his tie. They were also getting much closer to the bed. Lois began to panic. Her feet were rooted to the spot. She wasn't going anywhere. She covered her eyes with her hand. She had been dropped into an x-rated moment of her life. She peeked through the cover of her hand. She was a tad curious to see what Clark's physique looked liked at 30 something. There was nothing wrong with that. He was her husband after all. She'd see it sooner or later. They were making progress but his shirt hadn't come off. This was so nauseating and wrong. She closed her hand tight again. The radio had been turned on. She didn't know if it was to set the mood or it had been an accident. The music was interrupted. "A tremendous mudslide is taking place in Mexico at this moment, perhaps the worse the nation has ever seen. The damage is estimated to be—"

"Have you ate yet?" Clark asked, shutting off the radio.

"No," she answered.

"Feel like Mexican?"

"Sounds good. Hurry up."

Then Clark dashed out of the room.

Young Lois was puzzled but relieved they had stopped. Maybe the mudslide had killed the mood or made them hungry for Mexican but whatever it was, they seemed to have been on the same wavelength, creepily so. Older Lois had picked up her glasses and book again. Young Lois looked up, hoping to be sucked out now. Then there was a sudden rap on the window, which Lois thought rather odd since they were high up and there was no balcony. Her older self didn't seem to think it odd. She unlocked the window and a man climbed in. He was strangely familiar in his cape and tights. He was really good-looking with his dark hair and blue eyes. He almost reminded her of Clark but Clark had just left and more importantly this man didn't have a wedding ring.

"Superman, are you here for an interview?" she asked.

"Why yes I am, Miss Lane. I want you to have the exclusive on the Mexican mudslide," he answered in a strong, emotionless voice.

'He's some sort of a superhero and I'm just going to interview him,' young Lois thought.

"Hi, Mrs. Shortt," her older self said, as she shut the window and drew the curtains together. She had been talking to an elderly lady in curlers, who had been watching out her window in the neighboring apartment building.

"You really have to be more careful, Superman," she reprimanded, pulling him closer.

"No," young Lois whispered with fright.

"You'll give everyone the idea that I'm having an affair with Superman."

"But you are," he said with a dazzling smile. Then he kissed her passionately and older Lois didn't protest. Suddenly Superman pulled away, "Oh, I forgot—"

'Forgot what?' young Lois thought angrily. 'Forgot that she's married and her husband could come back any minute?'

"Don't worry about it," older Lois had interrupted him. She pulled him down onto the bed with her.

"I'm a—I'm an adulteress," young Lois gasped out before she felt herself jerking back to the present.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

The fortune teller was staring at her with a worried expression. "Are you alright, Miss Lane?"

Lois was still stunned and looked liked she was having trouble breathing. "I'm okay. I just didn't like what I saw."

"I'm sorry. I should have done more to warn you. Would you like to talk about it?"

"I knew I wasn't a saint. I mean I lie, sometimes I say unkind things to people I care about, I curse but I thought if there was one thing I can depend on about myself, it's that I'm loyal to my loved ones and to my friends. Now I find out I'm an adulteress."

"I'm very sorry."

"That's not the worst of it," she said with a tear glistening in her eye. "I cheat on my best friend. I like to tease him and pretend I don't really like him but the truth is he's the greatest guy I've ever known. He's smart, generous, protective, he always thinks of others first, he's geeky in an endearing way…he's just the best in every way I can think of, especially because he's able to put up with me. He's the kind of man I would never deserve in a million years and yet he chooses me. Then I stab him in the back. I'm a horrible person."

"I haven't been a real fortune teller for very long but I believe it's possible to change the future. Maybe it's why you were taken to that moment."

Hope appeared on Lois' face for the first time. "You think so? I've got to distance myself from him."

"Why not just stay faithful?"

"Because I obviously can't trust myself. He's standing outside, waiting for me. I better go. Here's your 5 dollars."

"I'm not sure I can take it after the ball revealed such an awful thing to you."

"I insist," Lois said, throwing the money on the table. "Look at it this way. You prevented a terrible mistake from happening."

She went back outside. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the bright sunlight and for her to be able to focus on Clark.

"Let me guess," he said. "You have a long life ahead of you filled with wealth and true love. That's usually the line they give you."

"Yeah, usually," she muttered, looking away. She couldn't stand to look at those innocent, baby blue eyes. The ones she would betray.

"So what do you want to ride first, the Ferris wheel or the mini rollercoaster?"

"Actually, Clark, I'm not feeling too well all of a sudden. I think I'd rather just go home and lay down."

"You were feeling fine before you went in there. You were pigging down cotton candy and praising the virtues of a carnival."

"That's what I mean by all of a sudden."

"Are you just tired or are you nauseous?"

"Yeah."

"Which one?"

"Both."

"I think it's awfully suspicious that you go into that fortune teller's tent laughing and come out ready to go home. Did that phony necromancer say something to you?" he asked angrily, turning around to go see the woman in the tent.

"No! Aren't I allowed to feel bad? If you don't want to take me home, I'll call a cab."

"I'll take you home," he sighed. He reached out to take her by the arm.

She jerked away. "Don't touch me!"

"I figured since you were sick, you might want some help to the car."

"Well, you figured wrong." She stepped in front of him, making eye contact for the first time. "Listen to me, Clark Kent. Don't you ever, ever touch me."

Clark was clearly startled. He had never seen Lois so serious before. It wasn't just an irritable mood or their usual banter, she meant it. Clark just sidestepped her and drove her home without saying another word. Lois was silent too, which unnerved him more than anything else.

---

2 weeks later…

"Lois, I want to talk to you," Chloe said, coming into their apartment and throwing her purse down on the table.

Lois looked up. She was laying on the couch with a notebook and pen in her hand.

"What are you doing?" Chloe asked. "Every time I come home, you're on that couch moping."

"I'm not moping."

"I have to remind you to eat and move once in a while."

"That's not moping."

"You want to tell me what's bothering you?"

"No, I don't and nothing is bothering me."

"Why did you quit your job with Mrs. Kent?"

"I've told you. I want to devote more time to journalism and make it a career."

"And you accomplish that by moping, excuse me, laying on the couch all day?"

"I'm writing down ideas for stories. Nothing is motivating me so far."

Chloe handed her the bills. "Maybe this will motivate you. You have to pay your half of everything."

"I'm sorry, Chloe. I'll get out of my funk and pull in some stories for the Inquisitor. I'm also going to try freelancing to other papers."

"Good for you and it's about time you admit you've been in a funk. Now comes the topic I wanted to talk about."

"I thought that was what you wanted to talk about."

"No, I want to talk about Clark."

"I don't want to hear it."

"Did he do something to make you mad?"

"No."

"Then why won't you talk to him? I'm tired of deleting 25 messages off the answering machine every day. I'm tired of saying you're not here when he comes by and he knows I'm lying."

"Yeah, well, he hasn't done any of that today. I think he's finally taken a hint."

"No, he hasn't. He's resorted to bugging me. He wants me to be a mediator and find out what your problem is."

"He shouldn't drag you into this."

"Into what? He's worried about you and I am too. This avoidance thing isn't you. Mrs. Kent has tried to call you a few times and you turn her down too. The Kents have been nothing but nice to you."

Lois felt like screaming, 'But I haven't been nice to them! If given a chance, I'll marry Clark and then cheat on him. I can't look at him and I can't look at his mother. God help me but I'll hurt them both.' Instead she said very calmly, "I know they have and I'll never be able to repay all they've done for me but I just think now is a good time to remove myself from their lives. I'm not a permanent fixture. I plan to leave Smallville eventually and right now I'm still easily expendable."

"Are you crazy? Those 2 people love you like you're one of the family."

"They do not, especially not Clark."

"Clark probably loves you more."

"Like a sister?"

"Of course, like a sister. What did you think I meant? If you need proof, just look at how often he's tried to contact you. He misses you. His circle of friends is very small and with all the people that are constantly stepping out of it, he needs you."

"Believe me, he doesn't need me." Lois suddenly sat up. "You know what he does need?"

"Rhetorical question, right because I have no idea."

"A girl."

"A girl? I don't think Clark has dated anyone since Lana."

"Exactly, which is why he needs to get back in the field."

"I don't think he was ever in the field."

"You're right. It's like he expects the girl to come to him. Like he's going to wake up one day and find one in his bed."

"Bad choice of words, since you used to sleep in it."

"You know what I mean. He just doesn't socialize with single, available girls. That's why we're going to set him up."

"We are?"

"Yes, we are," Lois said, as she turned to a fresh page in her notebook. "Let's jot down some characteristics of the kind of girl Clark likes."

"Time out. How did we get from trying to get you and Clark to communicate to let's find a girl for Clark?" Her face suddenly lit up. "Are you afraid something's going to happen between you two?"

"What? That's insane!"

"If it'll get the two of you talking again, I'll play along without asking questions. If we do find him a girl, you will talk to him again, right?"

"Right."

"Brunettes."

"What?"

"I think it's safe to say that he likes brunettes."

"He's dated a blonde before. Just because he was obsessed with Lana, who happens to be a brunette, doesn't mean she can't be a blonde or a redhead."

"Do you want my input or not?"

"Fine," Lois rolled her eyes and wrote it down.

"I think he likes outgoing girls. He's a little on the quiet side, he doesn't need the mousy type."

"Good point. So far we have loud-mouthed brunette." Chloe started to open her mouth. "Don't say it. I do not fit his profile. He needs a sweet, super moral girl, don't you think?"

"Yep and it's a must that she have a halo."

"I'm being serious, Chloe. He needs her to be honest, faithful, even-temp—"

"I get the point, as long as we're not expecting an angel. Nobody's perfect but you can add to the list, girl with principles. What else?"

"He needs someone highly organized and domesticated."

"You mean he should marry June Cleaver?"

"Can't, remember? She's a blonde."

"I just don't think that's his type."

"He needs that kind of a girl."

"You're trying to find someone who has no faults and I know it's because you care about him but let's be more realistic. I've got it! Let's pluck a hair from Lana's head and make him a clone of her."

"You're not taking this seriously."

"I'm sorry," Chloe said, laughing. "I think we have enough to work with. It's not like we're picking out his wife. We're just trying to get him back into the world of dating. So what are we going to do? Put out an ad in the single's column?"

"Nice girls don't put out ads. Ads are for felons or desperate, crazy people."

"Forgive me. I didn't know that. So what do you suggest?"

"Well, you must know a lot of girls at the Daily Planet."

"I'm still not comfortable with this and I don't think Clark is going to like being set up."

"He'll learn to like it. So do you know any?"

"There's Miranda in publishing. She might fit the description."

"Clark and Miranda. That's got a nice ring. Ask her first thing tomorrow."

Chloe sighed and reluctantly nodded.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

"She's touching his hand," Lois said excitedly. "Oh, no. He's taking his hand off the table, the dork."

"Lois, do you realized how disturbing this is?" Chloe asked. "And I'm sure this is illegal in some form or fashion."

Lois brought the binoculars away from her eyes for a moment. "How can it be illegal? We have a right to be in the café across the street from where Clark and Miranda happen to be having dinner and I have a right to have a pair of binoculars. I would like a listening device, so I could hear what they're talking about but that might be a little extreme. Body language says it all really."

"Do you hear yourself and there is a law against stalking."

"It's only stalking if your presence is unwelcome. Clark wouldn't turn us in."

"Miranda might."

"You worry too much. You want a turn with the binoculars?"

"No, thank you. I'm not loony yet, although hanging around you is a good step in that direction."

Lois didn't reply because she was too busy looking through the binoculars. "Miranda looks like she's having a good time. She certainly is talking a lot."

"But is Clark having a good time?"

"He's listening to her and smiling every now and then."

"In other words, he's just being polite. He only did it for you, you know."

"Huh?" Lois asked, distracted.

"I said he's only doing it for you. I told him he had to go on the date with Miranda before you would talk to him again. He was just as confused about it as I was but he agreed to do it."

"I think she's playing footsies with him. He just scooted away from the table. Stupid truck! It's blocking the window."

"Lois, put the binoculars down for a second and look at me."

Lois did.

"Why do you suddenly have an unhealthy obsession with Clark's love life and speaking of love lives, you haven't dated for a long time either."

"May I get you 2 ladies something?" the waiter asked.

"Saved by the waiter," Lois said in hushed tones to Chloe and then she said to the waiter, "I'll take a regular coffee with lots of sugar."

"I'm sorry, ma'am. We only serve…," he paused for an instant, as he saw the binoculars, "juice. It's a juice bar and we also have sandwiches. That's it."

She noticed he was still staring at the binoculars. "Bird watching," she explained.

"Ma'am, we're in the city."

"Even the city has pigeons and what kind of place doesn't serve coffee?"

"A juice and sandwich shop," he replied.

"I'll take cherry grape juice and a BLT," Chloe said, who had been looking at the menu that was kept in the middle of the table. She offered it to Lois.

"I don't want anything," Lois said, impatiently fingering her binoculars. She obviously wanted the waiter to go away so she could get back to spying.

"She'll have the same," Chloe said.

Once he was gone, Lois said, "Chloe, you know I'm not a juice person."

"It won't kill you. You drink too much coffee. You need something healthy every once in a while."

"I guess just this once but it's not like you don't live on coffee yourself," Lois said, who had already brought the binoculars back to her eyes. "Oh, shoot!" Lois said, quickly putting the binoculars down.

"What?" Chloe asked, alarmed.

"I think he saw me. He can't tell it's us, can he?"

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Even if his vision was less than average, he could easily see that there was a blonde and a brunette across the street with a pair of binoculars and considering we're the ones who set them up, it wouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who it was. I'm sure he knows we're here. If this were a real stakeout with bad guys, we'd be dead by now. Remind me to never go on a real stakeout with you."

"If it was a stakeout with bad guys, we wouldn't be out in the open. I just figured he'd be so interested in his date, he wouldn't pay any attention to us." Lois looked through the binoculars again. "Oh no, they're leaving already. Do you think he'll kiss her goodnight?"

"Don't know, don't care and it's none of our business but if I was a guessing person, I'd say no. Their date didn't go very well, did it?"

Lois put the binoculars in her pocketbook and sighed. "Now what?"

"What do you mean, now what? You aren't seriously thinking about setting him up again?"

"It's for his own good. I see now his heart isn't in it and do you know why? It's because his heart belongs to Lana. If we can get them back—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! We are not putting them back together."

"Why not? They love each other."

"Let's say they do, how many times have they tried to make it work and failed?"

"Lots of times but they only have to get it right once."

"I'm sure Lana would be willing. Being married to Lex made her realize she still loves Clark but I don't think Clark loves her back anymore."

"How can you tell?"

"I've watched Clark moon over her for years. He doesn't moon now."

"That doesn't mean he couldn't learn to love her again."

"I have my doubts about that but do you really want to see him get hurt again?"

"No. Isn't there anyone he has a crush on right now? You're the friend he confides in. Has he talked about any girls at all?"

"He complains about you and your annoying qualities quite a bit," Chloe said with a grin. "As a matter of fact, you're 90 percent of the conversation these days."

"I'll think of something."

"Well, you can discuss it with Clark in a few minutes."

"What are you talking about?"

"He's going to drop his date off and then he's going to come here to see you. You said yourself that he spotted us."

"Let's take our food to go."

"Lois, I never thought I'd see the day that you back out of a promise."

"Well, be prepared. You'll see a lot more of them."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. Let's hurry up and go."

"No."

"Then I'll go."

"No, you won't. I want to know what's going on. What did Clark do that makes you dread his presence?"

"I don't dread his presence, believe me. I'd love nothing more than to see Smallville. I'm probably hurting myself more than I'm hurting him."

"I'm confused."

"Chloe, if you come somewhere private with me, I'll tell you but you have to swear you won't tell Clark what I'm going to tell you."

"I'm not sure I can until I know what it is."

"Fair enough. Just come with me. I know you'll understand and maybe you'll even help me."

Chloe got up and followed Lois out.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

"This better be good," Chloe said, rubbing her arms. "I don't like being in a deserted city park at night. It's cold and it's dangerous."

"And private. The moon is giving off plenty of light. We won't be here long," Lois assured her, as they took a seat on one of the benches.

"Well?" Chloe asked, after a long silence. "I'm listening."

"It's just hard to tell you. I told a stranger but that was different."

"You can tell me."

"I know you'll hate me because I hate myself."

"I could never hate you I promise. What is it? The suspense is killing me."

"A couple of weeks ago, I went to see a fortune teller at the carn—"

"Aha, so Clark was right! He told me that he thought something the fortune teller told you upset you but I told him that you didn't believe in that crazy mumbo jumbo."

"This is going to be hard enough without you interrupting me."

"Sorry but whatever she told you, you can't let it get to you. It's not true."

"She didn't tell me anything. I saw for myself. Her crystal ball had powers, Chloe and I saw the future."

"Maybe there was some kind of drug in the air that gives people visions or something."

"No, it was too real for that. I was there. I've been playing it over and over in my head and I can't explain it because I don't have any proof but it was real. It was too clear and detailed—just trust me."

"Okay for the sake of this argument, what you saw was the future, what happened?"

"I was married to Clark."

Chloe burst into laughter.

"It's not funny!"

"You've been avoiding Clark because you're afraid you'll marry him. You have to admit that's funny. Just wait until I tell him."

"That's not all of it, Chloe. After he leaves the apartment, another man comes in, a man that I'm having an affair with."

Chloe suddenly sobered. "What?"

"I'm a big, fat adulteress."

"You're fat in the future?"

"Chloe, focus and no."

"Start from the beginning and tell me every single detail of this so called future, even to the color of the floor. Don't leave anything out."

"I can't. It's just too painful. The gist of it is that I cheated on Clark. I heard it from my own future mouth and witnessed it, unfortunately. So what do you think? Do you see why I've been avoiding Clark?"

Chloe appeared to be deep in thought. At last she said, "I'm still not sure I believe in this future junk but at the very least I believe it came from your subconscious. I've always thought of you as the faithful, old dog type but if you believe you have the potential to cheat, only you would know. The more I think about it, the more attraction I recall seeing between you two."

"Attraction?" Lois said indignantly. "When?"

"I believe marriage follows attraction or money and since you two aren't rich and unlikely to win the lottery anytime soon…"

Lois rolled her eyes half heartedly and waved her hand for Chloe to continue. The time for pretending she and Clark were nothing but mortal enemies was long past.

"I would go as far as to say that love is beginning to form between you two but if you think you should end your relationship with Clark then maybe you should. Clark doesn't need another doomed relationship."

"I'm glad you understand. Now do you see why we need to find him a girl?"

"Lois, I know you're not going to want to hear this but maybe you need to move away."

"Move away from Metropolis and Smallville forever? I don't know if I can."

"I'm not saying you have to but Clark won't give up if you don't."

"You're right. I'll move."

"Hadn't you better take some time and think it over?"

"What's there to think about? It's just a question of where."

"I have the perfect job for you. You're bound to get it. The Daily Planet is setting up a newspaper office in Germany and they need some American reporters to go over there. I remembered you lived there as a little girl for a few years, so I know you have a command of the language. You'll be reporting like you love. Once again it's completely up to you but you have a better chance of staying away from Clark in a foreign country."

Lois nodded and stood up. In a calm, resigned voice she said, "I'll apply tomorrow and I'll start packing tonight."

"Oh, Lois," Chloe said in tears, standing up and hugging her cousin tightly. "It just hit me. You're moving away. I may never see you again."

"Let's not get dramatic. I'll expect you to visit," she said, hugging her back.

"I'll be all alone in the apartment."

"No, you won't. You can't afford it by yourself. You'd better start looking for a roommate. Come on let's get going."

They walked extra slowly, neither looking forward to the move. They still found themselves back at the apartment that night with Lois packing.

Lois held up a green negligee. "Think I should keep this?" Lois said with a half smile.

"You never used it. You should have taken it back. It's just a reminder of a failed relationship."

"Yeah, but I took the tag off," Lois said, throwing it in the trash.

"Remember when you were showing it to me the first time and Clark walked in without knocking?"

"He was so embarrassed. I'm going to miss him."

"No, he wasn't. You were. He smiled if I recall correctly. He got really mad about it after you left. He was sorry that he helped you and Oliver get back together just so you could have a romantic weekend together and why was he mad? It's because he had a crush on you. We were so blind and we call ourselves reporters. Why didn't we ever notice it? He never liked any of your boyfriends."

"We see what we want to see I guess." Lois pulled the negligee back out of the trash and stuck it in one of the boxes.

Chloe smiled an amused, sad smile. "Does it remind you of Clark now?"

"Mind your own business."

There was knocking on the door.

"I'll get it," Chloe said. "We know who that is."

Lois ducked out of sight.

"She's not here," Chloe said.

"That was a dirty trick. You said—"

"I know what I said but circumstances change."

"I know she's in there and I'm not going away until I see her!"

Lois came out of her hiding spot and walked to the door. "I'll talk," she stated.

"Are you sure?" Chloe asked, laying a hand on Lois' arm.

"I'm sure. Can you go downstairs for a little while?"

"Okay, I'll bring you back some coffee," Chloe said, shutting the door behind her, leaving Clark and Lois to talk.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

As soon as Chloe had shut the door, Clark headed for Lois and before she knew what was happening, Clark had wrapped his strong arms around her. Lois wanted to pull away but she wanted the hug even more. His scent of aftershave and the outdoors was overwhelming and his hugs were so warm and comforting. She would love to stay wrapped up in his hugs forever but she couldn't, not when it seemed she would one day grow tired of them. With all the strength she could muster, she placed a hand between them. Clark took the hint and let her go. Their last hug ever she thought mournfully but she couldn't break down now.

"I missed you," he told her.

"Really? I couldn't tell," she said sarcastically but she couldn't get the same bite into it that she usually had.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you've finally decided to talk to me but do you mind if I ask a question? Why Miranda?"

"I just wanted to see you dating again."

"Okay but why Miranda?"

"What was wrong with her?"

"She talked constantly. I'm not quite sure how she stopped talking enough to eat and breathe."

"Don't like chatty women. I'll make a note of that and get you a mute next time."

"That's not what I mean. I don't mind it when you ramble on because what you say is interesting. Miranda went on and on about her hair and nails."

"That bugs you, huh?" She flipped her hair and displayed her nails. "I go to Joe's Hair and Nails myself. He's slow but good. I remember my last barber was fast but—"

"If you're hoping to chase me away, it's not going to work. You could talk about it for a week and it'd still be interesting coming from you." He smiled at her affectionately.

That made her nervous. Had he already fallen in love with her? The sooner she got away, the better. "Clark, there is a method to my madness these last 2 weeks."

"I knew there was. What is it?"

"I'm moving away. I'm going to try and get a job in Germany."

Clark didn't say anything for a couple of seconds but then he laughed. "You had me going for a second. I almost believed you."

"I'm not joking, Clark." She moved to the side and pointed at the cardboard boxes. "Does this look like a joke?"

His eyes got a panicked look. "You can't, Lois. Would you ever visit?"

"On a reporter's salary halfway across the world? I'd be lucky if I was able to visit once every 5 years. I know you don't have the money to visit me. Overseas calls are expensive. I suppose there's email communication if I have the time."

"When are you moving?"

"As soon as I know if I got the job."

"I see and when were going to tell me this?" he asked angrily. "Were you going to sneak away in the dead of the night?"

"I just figured you should get used to not seeing me."

"Well, thank you that was real considerate!" He began to storm for the door but then he turned around and said calmly, "I don't want to be mad at you but I have a feeling you want me to be. I'm not going to give you the easy way out."

Lois started to head for the bedroom to lock herself in, before her defenses were weakened.

"Stop," Clark ordered. He gently whirled her around to face him. "You're not going anywhere until we finish talking." He led her over to the couch and sat down with her.

"Nothing you can say will change my mind," Lois said in an irritated voice because she had let Clark stop her from leaving.

"Maybe not but that won't keep me from trying." He took her hand ceremoniously, as he told her, "Lois, I love you and not like a sister or a friend."

Lois took her hand back. "Oh, Clark, that just gives me one more reason to leave."

"My love is that repulsive to you?"

"No, it's just—I can't—we—Clark, why are you making this harder than it has to be?"

"I'm sorry," he said, looking distant and reserved all of a sudden. "I shouldn't have said anything. It's been nice knowing you, Lois Lane." He stood up and started for the door.

Lois stood up too. "Smallville?"

He froze but he didn't turn around or reply.

"You'll meet someone else."

He barely turned toward her as he opened the door. His eyes were shining from tears that were scarcely being held back. "No, I won't, Lois," he said in the saddest voice she had ever heard. "No, I won't."

He shut the door and she knew that it was the last she would see of Clark for a very long time, maybe forever. She sank back onto the couch and buried her face into the arm. She didn't want to be heard as she cried harder than she had ever cried in her life.

Chloe came up pretty quickly and acted overly cheerful. "Well, I got your coffee. Don't think I didn't notice that you never drank the juice, so I got you cranberry-flavored coffee. Oh, Lois," Chloe said, finally noticing the silent sobs. She set the coffee down on the table and hurried over.

Lois was very willing to cry on her cousin's shoulder. She knew it wouldn't take away the lonely, empty feeling she had but she needed someone who understood and could assure her that this was the right thing.

"I loved him," Lois got out, hardly able to speak. "Nobody ever told me love would hurt this much."

"It's okay," Chloe whispered comfortingly and hugged her tighter. "You're very brave and I know it's a huge sacrifice but you're thinking of someone else's happiness. I don't think I could ever be as brave."

Lois' sobs became audible and Chloe continued to hold her, trying to ease some of the pain.

---

Lois watched as Metropolis grew smaller and smaller until she couldn't see it anymore. Then she settled back into her seat, as a lone tear rolled down her cheek. There probably would have been more tears but she had dehydrated herself from all the crying she had done the past week. She had gotten the job like she knew she would and she was on her way to Germany. It seemed unreal that she would never walk the streets of Smallville or Metropolis again. Chloe had driven her to the airport and stayed with her until her plane was called. Lois had anxiously watched for someone to appear the whole time. Chloe had thankfully pretended not to know who Lois was looking for. Of course, Clark hadn't shown up, which in retrospect was for the best. She didn't think either one of them could have handled saying goodbye.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

"Guten Morgen."

"Do you always answer your phone like that?" Chloe asked with a chuckle.

"When in Germany and it's morning, yes," Lois answered.

"How are you doing?" Chloe asked taking a more serious tone.

"Fine. I miss my own country every now and then but if I were a country personified, I'd probably be Germany. Do you know they have a holiday for getting drunk and then there's a holiday where old ladies can beat people with sticks. I can't wait until I'm old enough for a stick. I'd like to beat the crap out of a few coworkers."

"I have to remember to visit you on one of those holidays. I have to remember just to visit you. It's been what a year?"

"And 3 days. How's the Metropolis Daily Planet treating you?"

"Nice. I'm not an intern anymore. My salary went from 10,000 to 20,000. I'm wealthy."

"Any interesting stories?"

"I'm working on an Intergang story. I'll tell you what Metropolis needs is a superhero."

"No, the world needs a superhero. Can you believe I'm working on the same story in Berlin?"

"It's being spread to ever major country in the world. We should collaborate on this. If we could just figure out who's behind it."

"I have my theories. It definitely originated in Metropolis. Bill Church is my main suspect."

"Bill Church? I met him at a charity function. He seemed really sweet and nice."

"The cruelest leaders are often the most charming on the surface. That's how they get people to follow them and anyway, I said he was just one of my suspects. Email me all the information you have and I'll email you mine."

"It's a deal."

"I know you're rich and everything but Lucy talked to me from the U.S. for 10 minutes and it cost her 34 dollars."

"I know it cost me 56 last time. That's why I only make these calls once a month. I'll email you first chance I get. Auf Wiedersehen."

"Auf Wiedersehen."

Chloe hung up the phone and watched Clark come through the door. "I'd bet a year's salary that you eavesdropped on my phone conversation."

Clark gave a noncommittal grunt.

Chloe's heart went out to him. He hadn't been the same since Lois left. There were days she was almost tempted to tell him the truth but she never did. "So you heard us talking about needing a superhero then? You know you're one of the few people who could cover the globe."

To Chloe's surprise, he finally agreed. "I do know. I trained with Jor-El awhile ago. It only took a couple of days. I even got this ridiculous house of El suit as a disguise. I've just been putting it off but Lois is right. It's time the world had a superhero."

---

Lois was on top of the German Daily Planet building. It was evening and the stars were just coming out. It was her own private place. The wall was so low on the rooftop that it discouraged people from coming out onto the unenclosed height.

She breathed in the sweet taste of nicotine. She knew she shouldn't have taken up smoking again. The very first time she had smoked a cigarette, which was at 14, she knew she shouldn't have. They were cancer sticks, a form of assisted suicide, not that she or other smokers meant it to be. When the girl had offered it to her she wasn't sure exactly what had gone through her mind. Maybe it was partly teenage rebellion but more than likely it had made her feel close to her mother. The girl had laughed when Lois had hesitated at lighting it and said, "After all, how many people really die of smoking cigarettes? I don't know any, do you?" Of course, Lois had known someone, her mother but she lit it anyway. She had quit at 17. It was the day before she turned 18 and could start buying them legally but that in itself took some of the joy out of it and it was a bad habit after all. She hadn't smoked since that day, not even once. She'd have liked to say it was mere willpower and mind over matter but gum and nicotine patches had helped. Nevertheless, not a day had gone be that she hadn't wanted one. That was the curse of an addiction. She had always carried a pack around with her just to know they were there but it was always the same pack that she had owned at 17. High stress made her cravings practically unbearable and she guessed the Clark situation qualified as extra high stress. She had smoked the 4-year-old pack her first day in Germany. She normally went through 2 packs a day now and she also drank a little more than she should have but smoking was her main addiction. However, the smoke never quite made it past her lungs to fill the hole in her heart but at least it relaxed her, if only for a few minutes.

She was quite invaluable at her job, not only because of her reporting skills but because none of the other Americans who worked there spoke German quite as well as she did. Her accent was so good, people often thought she was a native. Her dad had been stationed here for awhile. She barely remembered the Berlin wall being up. It had often confused her why they couldn't go over to the other side and even at 3, her curiosity had made her yearn to see the other side. It was lucky she had been too young to try and scale it, although they worried more about people escaping than entering. Her mother had tried to explain it to her but the world of adults was often beyond a child's understanding. She certainly remembered the wall coming down. They had watched people breaking the wall down from their apartment window for weeks. Her dad actually had a piece of the wall but so did a lot of people. Germany was peaceful these days, though it had taken decades to get this way. It wasn't a bad place to live but it wasn't where her heart was.

It was so dark that only the light from her cigarette lit up the rooftop. The sounds of the city filled the silence. She blew a couple smoke rings to amuse herself, and then she let her mind wonder to the Intergang story. Despite what Chloe had told her about Bill Church, she couldn't shake the bad feeling she had about him and that's mostly what it was, a bad feeling. She needed evidence and that was hard to get since he lived in Metropolis but if she worked with Chloe, it wouldn't be impossible.

Before she knew anybody else had come out, 2 hands shoved her hard, sending her off the roof. She screamed, not because she thought it would help but from the sheer force of the fall. One thing was for sure, she couldn't commit adultery once she hit the pavement. She had definitely changed the future. She shut her eyes tight and waited for impact. Instead, she felt 2 arms grab her in midair.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

It took Lois awhile to work up the courage to open her eyes and then she opened them very slowly, afraid of what she'd find. It had to be him though. There weren't that many flying superheroes in the world. Sure enough there were the piercing blue eyes and dark hair, so much like Clark and yet not. For one thing, she thought fondly and humorously, Clark would never be caught out in public in an outfit like that. His costume would have to have plaid and of course, there were the superpowers.

She realized they were too close for comfort. The necessity of holding her as he flew saw to that and he wasn't going out of his way to keep it a professional hold, if such a thing were possible. One arm was under her legs and the other supported her back. Being in the air and carried like this had involuntarily made her clutch onto his arm. She let go, not wanting to touch him in any shape or form. As her eyes shifted downward, however, and she saw just how high above the city they were and how she was supported only by a man, it caused her to throw her arms around his neck. She must have done it tightly enough to show just how scared she was because she thought she saw a smile start to tug at his lips but it was gone before it formed.

She shivered, not just because it was chilly this high in the air or because Berlin hardly ever reached 70 even in the warmest months but because those eyes of his looked so cold. They didn't look cruel. How could a man that saved lives be cruel but they looked removed and sad, probably not unlike her own eyes. He hadn't once looked at her that she was aware of. She felt a wave of sympathy wash over her. He looked lonely more than anything else, a feeling she knew very well. She quickly banished the thought. It was thinking like this that led to affairs. She had to keep her distance, not only physically but emotionally. She couldn't even think of him as being human. He had to be superhuman, far above humanity and its petty problems.

"I beg your pardon, ma'am but as gifted as I may be, mind reading isn't one of my powers. If you could tell me where you live, it would be very helpful."

His voice, devoid of any detectable emotion, interrupted her reflections about him. "Oh, right. I don't know what I was thinking. If you don't mind, I'd like you to set me back on the roof of the Daily Planet."

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

"What? Why not?"

"Because whoever pushed you may still be lurking around and decide to finish the job."

"You saw who pushed me off?"

"No, I just assumed you didn't jump off on purpose or go tightrope walking on the ledge. You don't seem like the careless type."

"No, I guess not."

"Once again, miss, I'd like to have your address."

"What if I don't give it to you? I don't like strangers knowing where I live."

"Then we can be up here all night. It's up to you but with my super-hearing and super-vision, it would make stalking easy for me if I wanted to and in this day and age it's already fairly easy."

"You sure know how to make a girl feel safe. It's Schillerstraße 18. It's actually only a few blocks over from the Planet."

He quickly flew her down. Her apartment had a balcony and he became vertical, putting her in front of him. He was now holding her by her waist and she was holding onto his forearms and he gracefully floated her down until there was solid ground under her feet again. The new position wasn't much better. They were finally looking at each other and it seemed forever before anyone spoke. There was a lot of tension and they weren't quite sure what to make of each other.

"I have a couple of things I need to take care of," he said, "but I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Co—come back? Why?" Lois stuttered, trying to figure out what he meant by that. She didn't even know this man and he was already trying to spend time with her.

"Yes, I would assume you're a journalist, since you were on top of the Daily Planet. You're the first person I've saved. I thought it only right that you have the exclusive."

"Of course, thank you."

"Do you know who pushed you?"

"No, he snuck up behind me."

"Have you made any enemies lately?"

"All the time. It comes with the profession."

"What story are you working on now?" he asked but strangely enough he seemed to already know the answer.

"Intergang but I've been working on it off and on for ages. The only difference is that I've started checking into Bill Church as possibly being the leader. I guess I'd better start watching my step."

"That would be advisable. I'll be back as soon as possible."

Lois suddenly drew her hands back as if she had been burned. She realized they hadn't let go of each other in all that time. She watched him fly off into the night.

She had left her pocketbook on the Daily Planet roof, no doubt. Luckily, she always had a spare pack of cigarettes in her apartment. She opened her balcony door. She never locked it because she felt it was too high up to fool with and none of the other balconies were anywhere near hers. She got her pack and lighter, as well as a pen and notebook. She also got a tape recorder to record the interview. No reporter worth her salt was without one during an important interview. With the increased anxiety of meeting the man she would have cheated on Clark with, she'd better start buying a couple more packs. Her smoking was bound to go up to 3 or 4 per day.

She took a seat out on her balcony as she waited. She had learned to enjoy porches during her time in Smallville. Here in the city, balconies and fire escapes were as close as it got and instead of watching clouds roll by, it was smog.

She couldn't help but wonder how in the world he'd found her in Germany. He wasn't German. She realized for some reason he had known she wasn't either. He spoke English to her. Maybe it was just because it was his only language and most people in other countries spoke English if they had a second language. She also had to wonder with all the billions of people in the world and all the people who had probably been in peril of dying at that moment, why her? He had to be a womanizer on some level from what she saw of the future. She supposed that canceled out the elderly, children, and male population but why her? The attention was flattering, even if it was unwelcome. She wasn't exactly a supermodel, a superman should want a supermodel. It had to be that he just happened to spot her as he was flying overhead and he was coming back, not because he was infatuated but for an interview. She just had to make it clear when he came back that she wasn't interested in him, other than professionally.

She lit up her 4th cigarette in a 10 minute period. At this rate, she would be going through 20 packs a day and die of lung cancer before the end of the year. She brought the flame to the tip of her cigarette but it went out before she could successfully light it. She flicked the lighter again but met with the same results. She gave an annoyed growl. It was a brand-new lighter and it wasn't particularly windy. If there was ever a night she needed it to work, tonight was it. She tried it one more time and then threw it across the balcony in frustration.

That's when he landed and picked the lighter up. "You shouldn't smoke," he said.

"Who made you surgeon general? Did you have something to do with my lighter not working?"

"Super-breath."

"In that case, can I have my lighter back?"

He came closer. "On one condition, you give me the cigarettes."

"Are you nuts? Do you know how much they cost?"

"Too much. It's an expensive bad habit, all the more reason to quit."

Lois grasped them tightly with no intention of relinquishing them. However, they suddenly got too hot to handle and she dropped them.

He picked the cigarettes up and disintegrated them. "Sorry for playing dirty but I can't let you smoke. Your lungs are fine now but that could change."

She was shaking from barely contained rage but she picked up her pen and notebook and said in a controlled voice, "Name?"

He hesitated and Lois got impatient. "It's not rocket science. Even if it's a phony name, you must have one."

"Well, my birth name is Kal-El."

She frowned in a thoughtful manner. "That sounds familiar for some reason. What country is it from?"

"Uh, it's from another planet actually. You must be thinking of Kal or Caleb."

"Maybe. So you're an alien? Can aliens sit?"

"Yes but I'd prefer to remain standing if you don't mind."

"Is that your natural look or did you copy human form?"

"No, this is my form."

"I guess the most obvious question to ask is what your powers are?"

"It's quite a long list. Let me know if you need me to slow down."

"I'm recording it."

"I have speed, strength, x-ray vision, microscopic vision, telescopic vision, heat vision, super-breath, freezing breath, and flight, obviously."

"Wow, is there anything you can't do? No super-smell?"

"Well, it's heightened more than the average human's but I'm no bloodhound."

"And I was just joking but I don't think I'll add that to your list of powers. Any weaknesses?"

"Apple pie."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm a sucker for apple pie."

"I better not put that in the article either or villains will start using it for bait. I was your first rescue, so I have that part under control. I think that's more than enough for your first article. I'm not sure Kal-El is such good name to use. It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Kal-El! It sounds a little strange and hard to remember. Isn't your name Superman?" she asked, remembering her vision.

"No, but it's a good name to use for your article."

"I guess it is. One n or two?"

He looked confused, wondering how even the worst of spellers could not know how to spell man.

"We're in Germany. Man is spelled with 2."

A small smile threatened to distort his serious look, as it had been threatening to do all night but he always managed to conquer it. "One is enough for me."

"When I fax the article to America, I'll use one but when I translate it into German, it'll have 2."

"Sounds fine."

She stood up, signaling the end of the interview. "Oh, I almost forgot to add something." She wrote and said out loud, "'Hates smokers.' Somebody has to warn the smokers of the world, so perfectly good lighters don't get thrown away."

"I don't hate smokers. I hate smoking," and his mouth finally broke into a full smile. It was like the sun breaking through a cloudy sky.

She found herself drawing closer, almost without knowing it and he was doing the same thing until they were once again in the position of his arms around her waist and her hands on his forearms. She forgot everything. She forgot he was the cause of her misery and of losing Clark. She only knew there was a strong magnetism between them. Their lips drew dangerously close, not quite touching and yet close enough to imagine contact. She jerked away at the last moment. An image of Clark had finally appeared in her head. She wouldn't technically be betraying him, as they had never even dated but she would be betraying him where it counted, the heart. Superman said nothing. He didn't look surprised or disappointed. He just flew away into the night again.

Lois sighed, hoping it would be the last she saw of him. He wasn't the bad guy or the seducer she had always pictured him to be. He was one of the good guys and that made him all the more attractive. He was also oddly familiar but she credited that to the vision. One thing was for sure, if he kept making appearances, she wouldn't be able to resist him forever. She would fall and become the horrible woman she didn't want to be.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

"I am very offended," Chloe told Clark with a teasingly pouty face. "How far do we go back? You were supposed to give me your first rescue story and she got your first interview too."

"I'm sorry."

"It would've been a nice career boost but I'm not really that upset or surprised. When you got that worried look and said, 'Lois', I knew it was a lost cause. The girlfriend wins over the friend every time. I just wish you would have fallen in love with someone who wasn't a reporter and then that could have been my story."

"I really am sorry."

"Truthfully," Chloe said, tapping the article she had lying on her desk, "Lois' writing has gotten unbelievably good. I don't think I could have improved on it. I don't even think I could have touched it. So how was it? Seeing her I mean."

Clark smiled. "It was great. I missed her. A lot."

"Believe me, I know that much. Everyone who knows you knows that much. Did she recognize you?"

"No, that's what is so great. With this disguise, it's like I'm a different person and that means I have a second chance with her. She might not love Clark but she may learn to love Superman."

"Did anyone ever tell you it's not healthy to talk about yourself as 2 different people? The fact of the matter is you're only one person and she has to love your entire person. Lois just isn't—I don't think she ever wants to get married or have a romantic relationship."

"I think you're wrong. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. Did you know she's taken up smoking again?

"What? I'm going to call her up and give her a piece of my mind! Then I'm going to go to Germany and kill her."

"You can't. You can't let on that you know or she'll figure things out. She's not stupid. I plan on keeping an eye on her and the cigarettes."

"Good. Somebody has to. Clark—"

"If you're about to lecture me on Lois, don't."

"I'll make it quick. First of all, you're smiling again and that's wonderful. It's been to long. I know the source of your smile but I'm warning you, don't build your hopes up, only to have it come crashing down. It'll only cause fresh pain. The Lois situation is more complicated than you know and I can say with confidence that the best thing for you to do is just be a friend. If you try to be more than a friend, even as the mighty Superman, you'll fail. Lois is a stubborn woman when she has her mind made up about something and if she finds out you're Clark, it'll make her all the more resolved to stay away from you. She has her reasons. If you want Lois in your life, it can only be as a friend."

"Are you done?"

"Yes."

"I get what you're saying but when I'm around Lois, I lose control and maybe to a lesser extent but so does she. We can reason about this until we're blue in the face but as soon as I look into her eyes, I forget everything. I love her Chloe and that's never going to change."

"There's a new girl downstairs, named Cindy. I think if—"

"You just don't understand," he said and he walked out of the office.

Chloe sighed. The problem was she understood too well. She wondered if they died 2 lonely, heartbroken people and that's where it appeared to be heading, if that was better than avoiding an affair. Sometimes she wasn't so sure.

---

Lois was at her desk. She pushed play again. It was the interview she had recorded with Superman. She must have played it thousands of times. It was surprising the tape hadn't worn out. "Even if it's a phony name, you must have one." "Well, my birth name is Kal-El." "That sounds familiar for some reason. What country is it from?" She pushed stop. There was no need to go on. It was more out of habit that she pushed it. She had memorized it down to where their breaths occurred. She reached the same conclusion every time. They had both stayed very professional. She had hints of annoyance in her voice at times and sometimes amusement at her comments seeped through in his voice but there was nothing to explain their almost kiss. He was beyond reproach but she couldn't shake the feeling that she was missing something that she should know about him and she just wasn't registering it on a conscious level. It was driving her nuts. It had been a week and a half since he had rescued her and he had done nothing but good deeds. He had even slipped in a couple after he rescued her. The man saved kittens for goodness sakes. A man like that just didn't fall by himself. She was obviously the temptress in the relationship. He had quickly become the public's favorite superhero in that short amount of time. Children looked up to him, men wished they were him, and women just wished for him. If they ever found out the role she could end up playing in the future, she'd be public enemy number 1.

"Hier, Fraulein Lane," a woman said, interrupting her thoughts.

The German woman worked in research. Lois had asked her to pull up everything she could on Intergang and periodically, she came in with more information. It was amazing the amount of information that was piling up, plus what Chloe had sent her by email. The stack must have measure at least 6 inches so far. The problem was that while nothing diminished the suspicion that Bill Church was behind Intergang, nothing confirmed it either. It was beginning to look hopeless but Lois rarely, if ever, gave up.

"Thank you—I mean danke," realizing the woman didn't know English. Sometimes if she was deep in thought she forgot to speak German.

The woman nodded and smiled, leaving to go back downstairs.

Lois looked over the article. It was the same story as always. Person is taken to police station for being connected with Intergang, either a gang member or witness, and is killed before they can tell the police who is behind it. She let out a frustrated sigh and grabbed her pocketbook. She was going up to the roof to smoke.

She found that she couldn't get it lit. This time she knew why. "Okay, Superman, reveal yourself."

He landed on the roof with a smile. "Sorry, Miss Lane."

"Miss Lane? How did you know my name? I know for a fact I never told you."

"I read it in the article."

"Of course, it's just hard picturing you sitting down to read a newspaper. So what do you want? Are you just making your rounds in your anti-smoking campaign?"

"I do have a reason for coming here but what are you doing out on the roof again? I assume you're still working on the same dangerous story."

"If you're in a car accident, it doesn't keep you from ever getting in a car again and besides, they're not very likely to try the same thing twice, especially when the Daily Planet security guards know about it and are on high alert."

"I suppose that's true but you have to be careful. I actually wanted to talk to you about Intergang. I've been watching and eavesdropping on Bill Church and you're right. Bill Church is the leader. I'm turning him in today."

"That's great but why are you telling me this?"

"You're the one who suspected it first. It's only right that you get the story first. I'm sure there'll be more arrests. It's just too bad the police can't get everyone connected with it. I hope this breaks it up for good though."

"Thanks. I'll get started on writing it."

"And as soon as I'm done, I'll fill you in on the rest."

"I'll be waiting out here."

He came back within the hour and gave her all the details. He had informed the police and they had obtained a warrant and found the evidence. 20 arrests had been made in Metropolis and it was likely to lead to more. Lois was happy that the story she had been working on for months was finally going to be wrapped up and she happily threw her arms around Superman, the reason for it. The joy they both felt quickly changed to desire at their close proximity and they found themselves kissing. They were lost in the passion of it and unable to think. When it became too difficult to breathe, she finally pulled away. Lois turned red from humiliation at what she had done. Then as she thought about the kiss , the red became from anger, "I recognize that kiss!"

That snapped him out of his blissful daze. "You do?" he asked confused.

"Don't play dumb. I know it's you and I'd slap you again if I thought it would hurt you. I never liked the story of Robin Hood. It teaches that the end justifies the means and I don't believe that. There's always another way. I admit I'm not always true to that. I bend the rules but I don't try to be a superhero either. People expect and need better from you. You think you can do whatever you please because you're practically a god. I don't like that and I don't respect it."

"But—"

"Look me in the eyes and tell me it wasn't you that night."

It was Superman's turn to hang his head shamefully. He wasn't the Green Arrow but he had been deceitful.

"I do have to admit you've done much better under this new guise, so I'll assume that Green Arrow was the wayward days of your youth. You're obviously not the Green Arrow in Star City, someone else is him now, right?"

He nodded.

"What happened just now was a mistake. I love someone else."

He studied her closely. She was telling the truth. Pain and despair appeared on his features but were quickly masked.

"I know you don't want me to be unfaithful and I'm not blaming you for this. We have to stay away from each other."

"I hope he knows how lucky he is."

"I mean what I'm saying. Even if you see me in the jaws of death, you have to stay away."

"I will always save your life if need be. You can't stop me from that."

"Fine but make sure it's absolutely necessary. A lot of times I could have saved myself if given a little more time."

"If I find it necessary, I won't say a word to you or even look at you."

"Good. Now please, go."

He flew off. Lois smoked her cigarette and this time no one blew it out.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

"Hey, Chloe. Do you want to write about my latest save?" Clark asked, going over to her desk.

"Why? You're a reporter now. You got Perry to hire you. Why don't you write about it?"

"It's not fair that I always get the stories just because I'm the subject 9 times out of 10 and it would look a little suspicious if I got every single Superman story and I'm never around when Superman is."

"Do you ever give Lois the story anymore?"

"She's not speaking to either one of me. She'll have to get her own stories."

"When was the last time you spoke to her?"

"It's been almost a month."

"Aren't you going to ask me how she's doing then? I can't even remember the last time you eavesdropped on one of our conversations."

"I don't want to know anything about her personal life."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to hear about her boyfriend."

"She doesn't have one."

"She's in love with someone."

"I'll give you that. Are you ever going to date again? Lois would want you to and it might help."

"No!"

"You don't have to get snappy. I promise no more trying to set you up. You can stay a bachelor. She asks about you, you know."

"She does?" he asked, genuinely surprised. "Clark or Superman?"

"Just Clark. She had me email her a picture of you with glasses."

"Probably to laugh at me or to use it as a dartboard. She won't even permit friendship."

"Don't be so hard on her. You never know what's going through someone else's mind."

"I listen to her heartbeat."

"That was a little random. You do what?"

"It's like listening to the sound of a familiar clock. The ticking is kind of soothing and you barely even notice it, except when it slows down or speeds up and isn't its normal, steady tick."

"How do you know it's hers?"

"No heart is exactly the same, therefore they don't all beat the same way. They all sound different."

"I suppose that's true but there are billions of people in the world. How do you tell them apart?"

A little color crept into his cheeks. "I only listen to and can recognize hers and I check on her when it's irregular."

"I still think it's unbelievable when she's halfway around the world and in a crowded city."

"I can tune my hearing to what I want to hear usually."

"Well, I'm glad you keep an eye on her."

There was a long silence, as Clark sadly stared off into space and Chloe watched him. He was sinking deeper and deeper into depression. She feared he would he would drop all human contact soon, other than necessary interaction. "You know what you need?" she said. "You need fresh air, fun, and a change of scenery. You're coming to the carnival with me."

He came back to reality with a determined look. "No! That's when it all started, when Lois insisted on taking me to the carnival."

"Maybe it'll be therapeutic."

"No."

"Don't make me drag you there."

"You can't drag me anywhere and you know it."

She stood and somewhat like a stern mother, took him by the hand like she would a child and dragged him out of the office.

---

"There's the fortune teller," Clark remarked bitterly. "There's the fortune teller," he said again but this time in an inspired voice. He wanted answers and it looked like the same tent, so maybe it was the same fortune teller. "I'm going to go get my fortune."

"I don't know," Chloe said hesitantly.

"You're not going to stop me," he said, ducking through the tent flap.

"Sit down, Clark Kent."

"How do you know my name?" he asked.

"It appears in the crystal ball."

He looked at her, not sure whether to believe it or not. He sat down. "Do you remember Lois Lane? She was in here last year."

"Ah, yes, poor girl."

"What did you say to her? What was the fortune you gave her?"

"I said nothing to her. It was the work of the ball and I can't tell you what she told me she saw. It is not my place. If you want to know, you must ask her yourself. I assume you're the friend."

"Not anymore."

"Would you like your fortune told? You can see the past, present, or future."

"What did Lois choose?"

"Future."

"Then I want to see the future."

"It won't be the same vision she saw, especially if she succeeded in altering it like she wanted. There is no predictability about what you will see."

"I still want to see the future."

"You will be a mere observer," she explained and then she rubbed the ball, causing swirling clouds and he felt the sensation of his soul being ripped from his body and falling forward.

He was outdoors in the daylight. It looked like Metropolis. There were a crowd of people, reporters it seemed. He looked toward the platform they were all watching and saw an elderly Superman at the podium.

"As you are all aware, I called a press conference," his older self said. "What you don't know is why. I'm dying."

There were gasps in the crowd.

"I know it may seem a little hard to believe. After all if anybody was going to live forever, it would probably be me and there was a time I thought that may be the case but death is a part of life. 82 years had been plenty for me, at times too long. I'm stronger than your average man even now but I'm nowhere near what I was in my younger days. I can do very little anymore. You have effectively been weaned off the need for my help. In the end, it's the everyday people who must help their fellowman. I have gotten kryptonite into my system and while it has been removed, I am not able to bounce back from it. I may have a few days left, maybe a couple of months. This, however, is not the sole reason I have called you here. It is my last press conference. No question that you ask will go unanswered. My life is an open book."

A woman in the 3rd row was the first to raise her hand. "Metropolis Star. Have you ever had children or a significant other?"

"I never had children. I did have someone I loved but she didn't love me back."

Clark wasn't surprised to hear it. This proved that his destiny was to be alone and without Lois.

Superman called on a man in the front row next. "Daily Planet. Do you have an alternate identity?"

"It's ironic that someone from the Planet would me that, since I used to work there. I do. I am really Clark Kent. It's not just an identity, it's who I am. My only memories are of this planet. I was adopted by the Kents, the only parents I have ever really known. I have lived among you working and paying taxes, the same as anybody else. I'd like to be buried as Clark and not as Superman, in my hometown of Smallville."

There was silence as everyone took this in. No one knew what to ask next. One reporter stood up. She was very old. "I haven't covered a Superman story for years. I haven't been in America in years, for that matter but I had a strange feeling that this was one press conference I shouldn't miss and I was right," she croaked out in an unnaturally raspy voice.

"Lois?" his older self asked.

"Who else would still be working as a reporter in their eighties? Obviously not as an investigative reporter though. As you well know, I haven't been in real danger for at least 30 years."

Clark hadn't been aware of her presence with everything that was going on and Superman hadn't noticed it either apparently. Her heartbeat, that he was normally tuned into, sounded different, as was bound to happen in old age.

She laughed, although it sounded more like coughing. "You must wonder what I have to laugh about. I'm laughing at the cruel irony of life because otherwise I would cry. I'm dying too you know. I finally got lung cancer like you said I would but before you get cocky, I still lived longer than you because I'm a year older and truthfully, I didn't even want to live this long. The cruel twist is that you're both Clark Kent and Superman." For the benefit of the others, she said, "I'm the one he loved. I had a vision of the future a long time ago and it gave me the impression that I was an adulteress. What I really saw was you and you as Superman. You were and are my best friend, Clark. I didn't want to see you hurt but I ended up hurting you anyway and if I had just left things alone, we would have had a happy life together."

Both Clark's mouths were agape. They had finally discovered why Lois had shut them out.

"I understand if you can't forgive me. I ruined our lives after all," Lois said with tears glistening in her eyes.

His old self stepped off the platform and went to her, wrapping her in their first hug in over 60 years. "I can always forgive you. I love you."

"I love you too. I should have consulted you and told you everything."

"You did what you thought was right. No one can blame you for that but I don't want to spend our last days debating this. Let's go somewhere where we can be alone."

Clark had a pretty good idea he was thinking of the fortress. That was one part of Superman's life that would remain unknown. The arctic fortress was likely to house their bodies as a lasting monument.

"The press conference is over," Superman announced. He flew away with Lois. Granted it was a very labored, awkward flight but they were too happy and in love to care.

Clark sighed. It was a bittersweet ending and it was perfect in a tragic sort of way but not one he cared to have. Too many years had been wasted. He didn't think it was an accident that had been taken to see this. Providence often seemed to lend a helping hand to fix the future when there was a need. Things were looking up in Clark's life for the first time in a long time. He and Lois wouldn't just get a happy ending but a happy story as well.

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

Clark was back in the tent and facing the fortune teller. She looked a little nervous, as she asked him. "Do you want to talk about what you saw?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. Lois misinterpreted what she saw. She didn't have an affair but because she thought she would, it almost cost us our happiness. It's lucky I saw what I did. That ball is doing more harm than good."

She wrung her hands. "Oh, dear. I was afraid of that. No one ever seems very happy. That's probably why word about it doesn't seem to be spreading."

"My advice to you is to get rid of it before it does any more damage."

Clark found Chloe waiting for him outside. "I got us blueberry snowcones," she said handing him one.

"Lois thought she saw herself having an affair, didn't she?"

Chloe took a bite of her snowcone and answered with her mouth full.

"I know for a fact she did. You can stop lying to me."

"I know you must be mad at her but as you know she's done everything in her power to keep it from coming true."

"And that's the problem. The other man is Superman. She misunderstood."

Chloe smacked her forehead. "Of course, I'm so stupid. I should have insisted that she tell me everything about the vision and I might have been able to guess but truthfully, I didn't think it was important."

"It's alright or it's going to be. Obviously, I want to go see and talk to her right away. I'll take the Superman Express route."

"Do you want me to take your snow cone?"

"I'll hang onto it.

A few seconds later, he was at Lois' apartment. She should have been in bed in this time zone but she was sitting out on the balcony, smoking. She looked miserable and clearly had trouble sleeping, not a usual part of her character except when she was in an unhappy state of mind. Guilt from a sin she didn't commit was eating away at her. Maybe if he had been a little more observant, he might have noticed that he wasn't the only one suffering or the only one in love. If he had been honest with her about his powers or told her that he was Superman, he might have saved them a lot of trouble but there was no use focusing on ifs and mights.

He landed. She didn't say anything right away. She looked under her chair and around her in general.

"What are you doing?" he asked, confused.

"I don't see any bombs, assassins, or poisonous creatures. I'm just trying to figure out what you're doing here. I thought we had an agreement?"

"We did but sometimes new information comes to light and changes that."

"What are you talking about? Hey!" she shouted, when he snatched the cigarette from her hand.

"Have a snowcone instead," he said, giving it to her.

She looked down at the snowcone in disgust. "I'm not a big fan of snowcones. Too much ice, not enough flavor."

"Nobody says you have to eat it if you don't want to. I got it at the carnival. I just hope you know this means I don't have to eat cotton candy if I don't want to."

She looked up at him with a puzzled expression, not understanding what he was talking about. "What?"

"I went to the carnival and while I was there, I went to see a fortune teller. Want to hear my fortune?"

"Not really," she said, becoming uncomfortable.

"I think you do. You can't cheat on me with me. I don't look that much different out of plaid, do I? Although I must admit it's more suit and ties these days."

"Cl—Clark?" she asked, still unable to believe it. "I must be dreaming."

"Maybe it would help you identify me if I took my clothes off. That is how you met me after all."

"Clark!" she cried with joy and tears brimming in her eyes. She jumped up and hugged him. He hugged her back and then pulled her away for a second, so he could take a look at her. She was smiling.

"I haven't seen you smile in ages."

"That's because I haven't smiled in ages. It kind of hurts," she joked.

They kissed and while it wasn't their first kiss, it was the first time they could both express to the fullest extent how much they loved and cared about each other.

Lois pulled away first to move the snow cone to her other hand. "It's melting all over my hand," she said.

He took it from her and dumped it in the ashtray. It spilled over onto her cigarette pack.

She picked it up and shook it off. "Blueberry flavored cigarettes. It'll be all the rage."

"This means no more smoking."

"Why?"

"Number one, I won't taste the cigarettes when I kiss you," he said teasingly and then became more serious. "Number 2, you died of lung cancer in my vision."

"How old was I?" Lois asked.

"83."

"That's not so bad. That's actually a pretty good life span. I can smoke and it won't affect me until I'm an old lady."

Clark frowned.

"Relax. I'll give them up. Who knows? Maybe I'll make it to my 90s."

He flew away and was back in a matter of seconds with a bag.

"Oh, this is cute," she said looking through the bag that was filled with patches, pills, gum, and every other cure the drug store had.

"Might as well start right away. You'll need them. Oh, and before I forget, I was only the Green Arrow that one night as a favor for Oliver."

"Normally, I'd be angry to find out I'd been tricked but lucky for you, I'm just too happy right now. So have you really had all these powers since I've known you?"

"Most of them. Some came later."

"Have you ever used them in front of me?"

"Remember when I lifted you with ease to move you away from the door at the hospital? No ordinary man could have done that."

"I resent that."

"You know what I mean and one time while you weren't looking, I blew the clouds away so you'd come to the lake with us."

"Boy, do I feel blind and stupid."

"Well, the world is blind and stupid with you if it makes you feel any better, except for Mom, and Chloe, and Pete, oh and Lana, and Lionel, and—"

"In other words, everyone except me. It's really not going to fall under the best kept secret of the century, is it? Why don't you make a list of people who know and I'll read it later."

"Did I tell you that I love you and I missed you?" he asked, taking her in his arms.

"I suppose since I feel the same way, this means I'll be getting a job at the Metropolis Daily Planet and we'll be getting married?"

"I suppose it does."

"The one thing I'm really going to miss about being in Germany is being able to get beer at McDonalds."

"Beer? McDonalds? Really? What's the world coming to? Come on. I'll help you pack," he said, leading her into the apartment.

She laughed at his impatience for her to move back home and start their life together but in truth, she was just as impatient.

---

Many miles away, the fortune teller was burying the crystal ball. She put in the last shovelful of dirt and pounded the end of the shovel on it to pack it tight. She had dug until she hit a sheet of rock, so it was buried pretty deep. She wiped away the sweat on her forehead, leaving a streak of dirt in its place.

She knew now that no one should have a real crystal ball. Not even God had a crystal ball. He was more like a master chess player, who because of moves already taken could see moves ahead in the game of life. That is why God was able to see the future because a true crystal ball would mean that free will does not exist. It means that all things are destined to happen and human beings have no choices to make but that is not the case. Lois and Clark chose to be together. It may have been God's plan but the choice was left up to them in the end. A crystal ball had made it seem like that wasn't so but the different visions had proved that free will was alive and well. Still it was a tool that no mere mortal could possess without ill consequences and therefore, it remained buried.

The End


End file.
